Lithium?

How long did it take for lithium to really take you down to a midline during a hypomanic, manic or mixed episode? My pdoc just started me on it while I'm in a mixed episode.

A day later and I feel a little tiny bit calmer but nothing huge.

Anyway, experiences and thoughts on lithium? It's my first time really giving this a shot and would love some input.

Thanks!

I don't think I was in an episode. They just put me on lithium when they took me off depakote.

It takes about 4 days to stabilize your blood level. Then they have to find a dosage that gets your blood level to therapeutic levels. Some people get there on low doses and others need more so they usually go slowly with increasing the dose. However it can start helping before it is therapeutic.

It varies from person to person Lithium has to be at a therapuetic level before it will help anyway.

I hope you find relief soon.

It made me feel like a zombie, and it was a pain in the neck because they kept having to check the levels. It didn't agree with me, but I hope you have better luck!

Feel better soon.

Thanks, everyone! You're all very helpful.

Hopefully soon!

Not much to add, only to drink lots and lots of water, and get blood work frecuently.
It's also important to eat a normal level of salt. Don't ask me why. Doc told me and I did.
Good luck!!!.

For me it came on slowly. It took a couple of weeks for mild effects and about a month for the full effects to take place. It calmed me down. This took high doses though. When I am stable the dose is lowered.

There is such a thing as drinking too much water. I take 1200mg and my level is a .4. Doctor says I drink too much water.

Thanks everyone! I guess it really does vary then! I guess I'll see when I calm down from this extremely high but depressed episode. I appreciate all the responses and any help.

Thanks for the tips on the water drinking too!

I was put on it in a mixed episode (my hypomania/mania was always dysphoric and agitated rather than euphoric). I was inpatient was on multiple meds; my mood stabilized fairly quickly but I don't think the initial improvement was really due to the lithium but rather due to the AP and AD I was on. I remember realizing the lithium kicked in really about about 4 or 5 weeks to be quite honest; it was something I remember suddenly recognizing as a change.

Depends if you're slowly increasing or just taking a high dose right off the bat (which i don't recommend).

Slowly increasing, it took me 1-2 weeks to stabilize my mixed manic episode.

Okay, well that's helpful to know. I am starting on a low dose and going gradually. I'm only taking it once a day right now and a small dose. I hope this kicks in soon, though. The irritability and dysphoria of this episode is peaking more. And my energy is crazy high still.

I see my psychiatrist tomorrow again so hopefully more will be worked out! Thanks for all of your help, I truly appreciate it!

I also didn't realize pdoc's would put you on a slow dose during an actual episode?

They can't go fast with lithium because it is impossible to know what dose will bring you to therapeutic. There is a thin line between therapeutic and toxic so they have to go really slowly and see how you respond.

Ok, thanks! That makes a lot more sense to me now.